The Primate Handshake is dedicated to promoting the work of small primate sanctuaries all over the world that are battling against the odds to conserve and care for various primate species. Most of these sanctuaries do their work without the help of wealthy donors, government support or large business sponsorship.
Just such a sanctuary is CERCOPAN (Centre for Education, Research and Conservation of Primates and Nature), a non-profit NGO working in Nigera to facilitate primate rehabilitation, environmental education, community rainforest conservation, and research. They have rescued over 130 primates in the last 12 years, specifically guenons and mangabeys. These primates are all orphans of the bushmeat trade which has devastated primate populations throughout the Cameroon faunal region where CERCOPAN operates.
Grey-Cheeked Mangabey
However, the fate of the 120 primates currently resident at CERCOPAN now hangs in the balance. The rent on the premises where many of the primates are housed has unexpectedly doubled and now CERCOPAN must raise over $3,000 dollars by the end of this month. This money will give the sanctuary time to find corporate sponsorship to sustain them in the future. The consequences if this money is not raised will be catastrophic for the primates they care for. In such situations, animals that are not able to live in the wild and have nowhere else to go are put to sleep.
CERCOPAN is appealing for donations from people across the globe. Anything you can give, anything at all, will be crucial in securing the future of these beautiful primates. No living creature should have to die through simple lack of money.
For more information, please see http://cercopan.wildlifedirect.org
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